Puerto Leguizamo, Colombia. A Colombian military transport plane crashed during takeoff late Monday, killing 66 people, according to the head of the nation’s armed forces. Rescuers transported dozens of survivors to nearby hospitals and continued searching for four people reported missing.
Passenger count and casualties
The Lockheed Martin-built LMT.N Hercules C-130 transport plane was carrying 128 people, including 11 Air Force members, 115 army personnel and two national police officers, according to Hugo Alejandro Lopez. Authorities said the updated death toll was nearly double an earlier figure as search and recovery efforts continued.
Location and initial accounts
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X that the accident occurred as the plane was taking off from Puerto Leguizamo, on the border with Peru. Firefighter Eduardo San Juan Callejas told Caracol the plane was believed to have suffered an impact near the end of the runway during takeoff, and that a wing later clipped a tree as the aircraft plunged.
Fire and rescue efforts
San Juan Callejas said the crash caused the plane to catch fire and detonate some sort of explosive devices on board. Residents in the remote area were the first to pull out survivors, with videos showing men transporting wounded soldiers on motorcycles along a dirt road. Military vehicles later arrived, but authorities said the crash site was difficult to reach, hampering rescue operations.
Survivors and medical response
Lopez said 57 survivors were hospitalized, including 30 in non-serious condition at a military clinic.
Political context
President Gustavo Petro on Monday criticized bureaucratic obstacles that he said had delayed plans to modernize the military.
What measures will authorities take to improve safety and rescue access in remote areas after this crash?